F1 LIVE Mercedes ready to make Helmut Marko offer as Sainz saga continues

Toto Wolff wants Max Verstappen. He’s pretty much said so himself, but prying the Dutchman away from Red Bull won’t be an easy task.

But in an attempt to lure Verstappen to the Silver Arrows, it’s claimed Wolff is pushing for Helmut Marko’s addition to the team as well.

That’s according to Tom Clarkson, who was speaking on the F1 Nation podcast. He said: “In Japan, I was told by several people that Toto Wolff is pursuing Max very strongly. He needs a signature signing, because obviously the last three years haven’t been going very well for the team.

“It would be a real statement of intent, wouldn’t it, if he got Max Verstappen. It was even mentioned to me that he’s said to Max, ‘bring Helmut Marko with you, if that’s what it requires’. So a bit of an Austrian superteam at the top of Mercedes.”